I was born in Alamogordo, NM, and delivered by my Grandpa Melvin Lester, who was an OBGyn. I earned my nursing degree and Masters of Midwifery from Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Oregon, then went overseas to work in the Commonwealth of Saipan before settling in Port Angeles. As a Nurse Midwife at Olympic Medical Center for 12 years, I provided gynecological care and delivered hundreds of babies into our community. However, by the end of my time at OMC I was disappointed (actually crushed) to find the midwifery practice moving in a very medicalized direction under leadership that prioritized procedures and protocols over the person-centered care that is the heart of midwifery. When the Medical Director said to me: "They're not your patients, they're OMC's patients," I knew I had to go. Now I'm in my second year supporting out-of-hospital birth, and it's like breathing fresh air for the first time. I can take care of you exactly how you need me to. I don't have to meet quotas. I don't have to follow scripts. And we can take all the time we need.

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On the personal side, I'm the mom of three teenagers. I love painting, rockhounding and gardening, and I play violin with the Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra. 

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